NFL morning after: The Giants are terrible

Posted by Michael David Smith on September 23, 2013, 6:49 AM EST

Reuters

I don’t know if the Giants are the worst team in the NFL. They’re probably not. Jacksonville is probably worse. And maybe 0-3 Washington or 0-3 Minnesota or 0-3 Tampa Bay or 0-3 Pittsburgh are just as bad. But there’s no team in football that is a bigger disappointment through three weeks than the Giants, who look downright terrible.

Tom Coughlin is supposedly all about discipline and avoiding mistakes, but you sure wouldn’t know it from watching his team this season. The Giants made every mistake you can make in Sunday’s 38-0 loss to the Panthers: Missed blocks led to Eli Manning getting sacked seven times. Missed coverage assignments gave Cam Newton his best game of the season. The ridiculous turnover problems continued, as Manning threw his league-leading eighth pick of the year, while Louis Murphy fumbled the ball away after a completion from Manning. (Even after Manning had finally been pulled for his own protection, backup Curtis Painter kept the turnover problems alive by throwing an interception on the Giants’ last offensive play.)

The stats in Sunday’s game were every bit as ugly as you’d expect from a 38-0 shellacking. The Panthers out-gained the Giants 402 yards to 150, and Carolina picked up 27 first downs to New York’s 10. But the Giants’ problems go a lot deeper than just one game. They were a mess in Week One, turning the ball over six times in a loss to the Cowboys, and they were even worse in Week Two, getting blown out 41-23 by the Broncos. We’re three weeks into the season, and not only have the Giants not looked good at any point in the season, but they haven’t even looked competent.

A team coached by Tom Coughlin and quarterbacked by Eli Manning shouldn’t be this bad, and there’s still a part of me that thinks maybe they’re not really this bad. There are still 13 games for them to turn it around, right?

Unfortunately, I just don’t see that turnaround coming. There are simply too many problems all over the place. The Giants’ secondary looks terrible, their offensive line looks terrible and their special teams look beyond terrible. The Giants are a mess.

Here are my other thoughts on Week Three in the NFL:

Let’s give credit to the Browns. It was a battle between two teams that entered the game 0-2 and will probably finish in last place in their divisions this season. And yet the Browns’ win over the Vikings may have been the performance that impressed me most on Sunday. I always love it when a team that everyone has written off comes out and fights hard. After Cleveland traded away Trent Richardson, fans and members of the media accused them of giving up on the season, but the Browns put together an excellent effort to pull off an upset in Minnesota. A fake punt picked up 34 yards. A fake field goal went for an 11-yard touchdown. Third-string quarterback Brian Hoyer, Sunday’s surprise starter, played well enough that he may remain the starter even after Brandon Weeden’s thumb heals. Young receiver Josh Gordon had the best game of his career, catching 10 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown. Jordan Cameron, a tight end who’s usually only used sparingly, stepped up with three touchdowns. The Browns are not a good team, but they have a lot of young guys who are playing hard. They’re a long way from giving up on the season.

Vontaze Burfict should be suspended. Burfict smacked Green Bay’s Ryan Taylor in the groin on Sunday, leading Taylor to push Burfict away from him. When Burfict fell to the ground, the officials threw a penalty flag on Taylor, having completely missed the fact that it was Burfict hitting Taylor that led to Taylor’s reaction. The NFL simply can’t let a player not only get away with such a cheap shot, but even benefit from the cheap shot when an opponent gets a penalty for defending himself. Suspending Burfict is the way to show that the NFL simply won’t tolerate some things, and one of those things is hitting another player in the groin.

Joseph Fauria is emerging as a red-zone threat. As an undrafted rookie tight end, Fauria was a long shot just to make the Lions’ roster this season. But the Lions’ coaching staff became intrigued with Fauria because he has one trait that separates him from any defensive back or linebacker who tries to cover him: He’s 6-foot-7. That means Matthew Stafford can throw a high pass into the end zone and trust Fauria to come down with it, and that’s just what Fauria did on Sunday in Washington. Fauria already has two touchdown catches in his first three NFL games, and he’s going to have a lot of opportunities to catch jump balls against shorter defensive backs while playing opposing secondaries that are mostly concerned with stopping Calvin Johnson.

The NFL’s two best teams are missing their left tackles. It’s awfully early to be declaring anyone Super Bowl favorites, but I don’t think I’m saying anything too surprising when I say the Broncos are the favorites in the AFC and the Seahawks are the favorites in the NFC. Unfortunately, Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung will miss at least eight weeks with a toe injury, while Broncos left tackle Ryan Clady will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury. Seattle’s offensive line really looked like it was missing Okung on Sunday against Jacksonville, and I have no doubt that Denver will have some trouble without Clady tonight against an underrated Oakland defense. We often don’t appreciate offensive linemen until they’re gone, but everyone needs to appreciate that Okung and Clady’s injuries were major blows to two Super Bowl contenders.

There’s a bright side, Rams fans. Yes, your team just got destroyed 31-7 by the Cowboys to fall to 1-2. But the good news for the Rams is that they have their own first-round pick next year and also own 0-3 Washington’s first-round pick thanks to the Robert Griffin III trade. St. Louis might be picking twice in the Top 10 of next year’s draft. It may be too early to think about next year’s draft, but if you’re a fan of a bad team it’s hard not to think about it. And Rams fans at least have that reason to feel optimistic. That’s more than Giants fans have.

I thought the g=men would turn it around.
I told myself that they couldn’t possibly keep turning the ball over at the same rate but I was wrong.
This article is completely accurate…my Giants are an epically bad team at this point in time…offensively and defensively.

As a Giant fan “I” was so embarrassed watching that game yesterday. And to think there was talk about a home field Super Bowl. Unfortunately the holes in this team that have reared there head are most likely not fixable in a season. As soon as they’re out of contention; which could be week 6, they need to tank the season and get a high draft pick. We need OL, linebackers and DL. They better not open the coffers for Nicks and hamstring themselves with salary cap again.

The NFC is so bad that the Giants are only one game out of a wildcard position. And Tom Coughlin gets fired in NY before Rex Ryan.

elmerbrownelmerbrown says:Sep 23, 2013 7:21 AM

Please release brandon jacobs

dogman9 says:Sep 23, 2013 7:22 AM

Giants just quit before halftime. O line made Panthers defense look like the ’85 Bears.

I just find it so comical that NY press spends all of July and August beating down the Jets for their decisions, wasting a draft pick on Geno, asking Rex how does it feel to be the worst team in football when they should have been asking those questions to the beloved Giants. Who now officially suck.

It would be completely biased and unfair if Vontaze Burfict were suspended for baiting an opposing player into retaliation, at this point in the season. The NFL has allowed this pathology to exist for far too long. Vontaze Burfict has been the victim of ‘baiting’ in the NFL, as have many other players. If replay and suspension are to be assessed, then why not use replay during the game? The Bengals’ loss to the Bears had two such penalties assessed to Bengals’ players (retaliation to an unseen cheap shot). I think that it’s pathetic that replay is not part of such actions in the first place. It causes many players to use the same tactic in order to get calls against opponents. Vontaze Burfict was merely using the same tactic that had been used on him. It worked. Announcers also play into this madness by making comments like, “…Never be the second hitter in a fight because your gonna get caught..”. Use Replay during the game when it counts, otherwise, praise Vontaze Burfict for a wise play and flop.

Giants fans have 2 rings, pretty sure that’s more than the vague possibility of two early draft picks.

patriotenvy says:Sep 23, 2013 7:47 AM

Congratulations. The Jets are now the best team in New York.

But don’t worry, you have Eli who is an ” elite QB”. And we all know elite QB’s are leaders who will pull a team together no matter how bad things get. Unless he’s not really an elite QB?

southpaw2k says:Sep 23, 2013 7:49 AM

I’m not sure exactly what the Giants’ main issue is, and that is Coughlin’s first problem in figuring out how to save the season. Is the offensive line? Is the defensive line? Is it the running back? Is it Eli’s decision making? I’d hate to be the guy sitting next to Coughlin today as he watches film from yesterday’s game.

The Vontaze Burfict comment is silly. Particularly in a game where Aaron Rodgers had an NBA caliber flop on “roughing the passer” earlier. Now maybe there should be a rule in place (I would think part of effectively policing player safety requires some penalty when guys make that job tougher by faking)… but without a faielt enforced rule, nothing Burfict did was worthy of a suspension.

The Giants are getting worse, if that is possible, as the season progresses. It looks like dementia.

Smarterthanyou says:Sep 23, 2013 8:15 AM

Vontaze was just playing football the way its always been played before Goodell started wussifying the game. Smart, savy football move by Vontaze.
Conrad Dobler, Lambert, Butkus, Deacon, would all agree

i honestly have to think back to the dave brown era to remember how bad it has been to watch the giants.

another uninspiring performance under the coughlin era. Giants should be dominating year in and out with our talent and we can barely win.. giants need a coaching change everywhere except HC.. killdrive just absolutely needs to go. fewell IMO isnt doing to bad, its jut the offense is so terrible the D cant hold up anymore by 2nd half.

Eli. this season just proves he a damn good QB not elite.

Smarterthanyou says:Sep 23, 2013 8:26 AM

One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

~Vontaze Burfect~

getyourownname says:Sep 23, 2013 8:28 AM

Verdict on who got the better of the draft-picks-for-RGIII trade is still pending.

Are the Giants bad? Probably. At least they have a coach and QB, the Vikings have neither. The whole NFC East is bad so 7-9 could realistically win the division. The Vikings and Jags are the worst teams I have seen in a decade. Even Aaron Rodgers looks bad. What a strange year…

All Steeler games should be cancelled and replaced with live feeds of Roethlisberger and Brown trying to drop a safe on Todd Haley’s head. It’s for the best.

joetoronto says:Sep 23, 2013 8:47 AM

Only Bungals fans would support a player hitting another player in the balls.

Completely classless.

SMH.

blackqbwhiterb says:Sep 23, 2013 8:47 AM

I’d say the football Gods are punishing the Giants for John Mara’s clearly biased and unfair salary-cap penalty against the Redskins and Cowboys. It was so obviously a sham, when the Bears and several others did the same thing and only the NFC East rivals got punished………Now John Mara’s getting his. I hope they lose a whole lot more.

Were there calls for Ray Rice to get suspended for baiting Taylor into a personal foul last week? Personally, I’d rather someone slap me in the balls than spit in my face.

papichulo55 says:Sep 23, 2013 8:48 AM

Too much GMen pride and pedigree to declare their season dead after Week 3. Probably another season just missing the post season on a tie-breaker.

eagleswin says:Sep 23, 2013 8:49 AM

You know what Coughlin should do? Bench Manning until he learns to protect the ball better. That’ll right the ship. He has 4x the turnovers that David Wilson has.

Somewhere Tiki Barber who led the league in RB fumbles under Coughlin when he played is laughing as he was never benched for fumbling.

Seriously though, the Giants offensive line is just getting destroyed every game. That may have been lost on some people because of Coughlin blaming his running back for the first loss of the season and not manning’s 4 picks.and horrible oline.

On the plus side for the Giants, Brandon Jacobs has turned into the biggest Coughlin homer on the planet now that Coughlin has deemed he’s worth a roster spot. Everytime someone put’s a mic in front of his face all i keep hearing is what a great coach Coughlin is. If I was a an out of work, out of shape, over the hill football player that didn’t even get a training camp invite, I would probably be proclaiming what a great coach and team I play for, even if it wasn’t true.

The Browns vs Viking game had to be one of the best games yesterday. Hoyer was looking so good early then reality hit and there is a reason they still need a franchise QB. Ponder aint gonna cut believers, a wide open Jennings on a out route with a little pressure was way overthrown could have sealed the game.

I kept tell you the Coughlin Giants were finished. I said the Giants were in the race to draft Clowney. I said time to start the Ryan Nassib era. I said they miss Tiki Barber and his fiery team first leadership.

I’m sorry to say I was right. I hate when the Giants are bad.

whatnojets says:Sep 23, 2013 9:02 AM

According to the sports writers at the Daily Snooze, the Jets are the worst team in the NFL and of course, in New Jersey.

After yesterday’s Giants game, there is a new Sheriff in town called Ryan’s Marauders!

getyourownname says:
Sep 23, 2013 8:28 AM
Verdict on who got the better of the draft-picks-for-RGIII trade is still pending
……………………………………………………………………………….

That is a funny statement. All these draft picks by the Rams may go by as all stinkers. Hey Fisher, if you are going to draft a WR in the top 10, how about use him. Cruz torched the Boys, Avery had a field day with them, Austin should have literally thrown some madden numbers.

Although Coughlin did win 2 Super Bowls, I think its time for him and the other geezers coaching this team to step aside for some new, younger, creative thinking.

And just an FYI, I thought Coughlin should have retired immediately following his last Super Bowl win and take a front office job with the team. So I’m not kicking him while he’s down.

And on another note, if the Patriots had Nicks, Cruz and Randle, they would be scoring 75 points a game, so there’s BIG problems here. Problems all around.

The Jets would have beaten them 38-0.

weepingjebus says:Sep 23, 2013 9:36 AM

We all know how this goes. The Giants will derp around for a while, and then Eli Manning will sacrifice another herd of goats to the dark powers and they’ll win another Super Bowl. It’s ridiculous to watch, yet completely inevitable.

That is a funny statement. All these draft picks by the Rams may go by as all stinkers. Hey Fisher, if you are going to draft a WR in the top 10, how about use him. Cruz torched the Boys, Avery had a field day with them, Austin should have literally thrown some madden numbers.

—————

Folks look at the RGIII coming back from injury and just assume that with the trade that the Rams are building a jauggernaut. Last year the Rams were 7-8-1. This year, using the first year of extra picks, they are 1-2. We’ll see where they end up next year.

The Redskins are off to a rocky start with RGIII coming back from injury, but if he returns to normal, he has shown himself to be a player who will take you to the playoffs.

It’s very “popular” for people to say that the Skins got fleeced, but when you look at where the Rams are themselves, it’s not a no brainer.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the Rams are bad…they are an up and coming team. I just don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that they are building some “dynasty” with a horde of extra draft picks…

southpaw2k says:Sep 23, 2013 10:06 AM

getyourownname says:
Sep 23, 2013 8:28 AM
Verdict on who got the better of the draft-picks-for-RGIII trade is still pending

————————————————–

Considering the Rams have only really used one of their picks from the Redskins on Alec Ogletree so far, there’s a lot for the jury to deliberate on. The Rams still have the Redskins’ first round pick in the 2014 draft coming up. so it won’t be until 2016 at the earliest when we see whether the deal was worth it for either side.

Of course, logicalvoicesays will probably say the Rams got bamboozled on that deal even now.

schmitty2 says:Sep 23, 2013 10:16 AM

I think it’a a tad premature to talk like the Ram’s are done. Yes, they did get severly spanked yesterday but they have the Niners coming to town (minus Aldon Smith and possibly Patrick Willis) then a home date with Jacksonville. Could very easily be back over .500

oldschoolomen says:Sep 23, 2013 10:20 AM

If the NFL hands Burfict a suspension, it will be overturned on appeal. If N’Stompagain Suh and Dashon Goldson weren’t suspended, there’s no way Burfict will be.

myeaglescantwin says:Sep 23, 2013 10:26 AM

hahahahahha

que all the “two titles” & “superbowl such and such” talk.

fact of the matter is 0-3 and they look terrible.
there is not one aspect of that team that vaGiants fans can say is a real positive and point of strength.

I’m wondering if having a Superbowl in your own stadium is some kind of curse. When it was held in Cowboys stadium, Dallas had one of their worse seasons since 2000. Everyone was saying the same things about the Cowboys they are saying about the Giants.

Vontaze tapped the guy in the groin . He did NOT HIT him in the groin . Dirty … yes , but it wasnt a hit to take your breath away . It was used to be effective in drawing a penalty , which worked . An as me and every other football fan knows as well is the media who supports this rule . Its always the second offender to get the penalty . Bengals were victims of it against the Bears . What goes around comes around !

The giants are terrible and they fake injuries to slow teams down. None of this is news.

chicagogiantsfan says:Sep 23, 2013 12:19 PM

Tom Coughlin is part of the problem, but not all of it. His stubborness to fire Fewell and Gilbride is his main problem. I would assume that Reese/Mara are, at some point, going to demand it. Most likely too late for this season (although in the NFC East, who knows), but this team needs some serious work to become competitive again.

Don’t stress Blue Nation! 9-7 will win our division! By the middle of the season they will fix problems with o-line! Out secondary has never been a strong point in years past so be easy! We will bounce back! Better too start off bad than finish bad like we have the couple seasons!

Burfict suspended? Has anyone been suspended for grabbing or biting in scrubs? For hitting in the back at end of plays or pushing /blocking after whistles? Any Refs suspended for these outrageous personal foul calls when the hits were to the shoulder but ref out of position or was expecting a bad hit? So get a life. Wasn’t why Bengals won.

johnnyb1976 says:Sep 23, 2013 12:51 PM

Get over the tap in the nuts and go watch a high school game because it happens there too. Better yet play a sport instead of reporting and thinking you know everything about said sport.

chazzmon says:Sep 23, 2013 1:55 PM

As a season ticket holder, I’m embarrassed, we stink. The O-Line is the most glaring problem, they don’t even seem to be NFL caliber… so what’s Bill Cowher up to? Can’t give Coughlin a free pass anymore.

Although Coughlin did win 2 Super Bowls, I think its time for him and the other geezers coaching this team to step aside for some new, younger, creative thinking.

And just an FYI, I thought Coughlin should have retired immediately following his last Super Bowl win and take a front office job with the team. So I’m not kicking him while he’s down.
———————————————————-45 year Giant fan here…I agree with most of your take here, except I will kick him while he is down. This team is a joke, and really was for much of last year too. I am so sick of watching their ridiculously predictable play calling, their inability to cover, their inability to pass protect. And while I loved winning the two super bowls, they kind of pulled both of those out of their respective asses…so thanks for your service, Coughlin, now please retire. And take those two sh-theads Fewell and Gilbride with you.

kev86 says:Sep 23, 2013 8:52 PM

Im through mourning the loss. I’m not giving up on the Giants. Onward to Arrowhead. Road Warrior time. Go Blue!

The Giants line problems appear to be effort or maybe old age- Chris Snee and others. They should change up the offense to give Eli more time to throw-quick hitches etc. They have to do something or Manning will be in a body bag real soon.

usdcoyotesfan says:Sep 24, 2013 2:28 PM

The Giants have to hope teams “beat themselves” like the Panthers did against them last year (according to Cam Newton). That hasn’t been happening this year.